X Files Mulder's Goodbye
by JKerry
Summary: Takes place at the beginning of Nothing Important Happened Today, s9. Mulder prepares to leave and go into hiding. Before he leaves he spends some time with Scully and his son, William. Will they ever see each other again?
1. Chapter 1

**Mulder's Goodbye**

**(From Nothing Important Happened Today)**

**Chapter 1: Packing**

Mulder's apartment,

48 hours after the event.

Mulder rubbed his tired eyes as he surveyed his apartment. He was in the middle of packing as he was getting ready to leave. It was 7am, and he still had a lot of packing to do. He fed his fish and continued to pack his clothes. Scully had promised him she'd take care of the fish, so that was one less thing for Mulder to worry about. Scully also promised that if he left, she would tell nobody, not even Agents Doggett and Reyes. She also said he didn't have to tell her if he didn't want to.

So Mulder agreed not to tell Scully, and said he said he would leave later that morning after dropping by her apartment with his luggage. The clock struck 9am, and Mulder finished packing. He gave his apartment one last look, remembering all the times he and Scully had spent there together, through good and bad times. Even his friends, The Lone Gunmen, had paid a visit to his apartment.

Mulder sighed wearily as he reminded himself that he would have to leave this all behind for a very long time, perhaps even forever. So, with a long, last look at his home, Mulder picked up a bag and made his way towards the door. He fished in his pocket for his cell phone, and called a cab. "Yes sir," the cab company receptionist said. "Your taxi will be there in ten minutes," he told Mulder. "OK, thank you," Mulder said, before hanging up and calling Scully. She didn't answer, so Mulder guessed she had left the phone off the hook because of their baby, William.

So he left her a message. "Hi, Scully, it's me. I know you're looking after William at the moment, so I just wanted you to know I'm all packed and I'll be at yours in half an hour. See you then," he said, before hanging up. Ten minutes or so later, Mulder's taxi had arrived and the driver helped Mulder with his luggage.

"Moving out are you?" the driver asked pleasantly. Mulder nodded. "Yep," he replied. "I'm bringing everything except the kitchen sink," he said. "Well, hope you're going somewhere nice," the driver said as they finished loading the taxi with Mulder's luggage and they both got in the taxi. "So where to?" the driver asked. "Georgetown, please," Mulder said. He was on his way to see Scully one last time, and he felt a little odd as the taxi pulled away from his apartment block and into the busy main road. "Bye, Fox Mulder," Mulder muttered as he looked behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2: SAYING GOODBYE

**Mulder's taxi pulled up at Scully's apartment at 8am that Monday morning. Mulder paid and tipped the cabbie, as the cab driver once again helped him with his luggage. Mulder travelled light - he had four stuffed bags with him, which mostly contained suits. He didn't much care for other items. Mulder knocked on Scully's door, and she answered it, carrying baby William in her arms. "Mulder," she said with a small smile. "Scully," Mulder replied in greeting, and kissed her on the cheek quickly. Scully looked at the bags Mulder was bringing in with him. "Mind if I take these in for you, Ma'am?" the cabbie asked.**

**Scully nodded and stepped aside to let the cabbie take two of Mulder's bags into her apartment. "Yes, thank you," she said. William gurgled happily as Mulder shook his little hand. "Hey there, little man," he said to him. Scully smiled at the heart warming action. The cabbie said his goodbyes and closed the door behind him.**

**Mulder smiled at Scully. "You sure you wasn't followed?" Scully asked. Mulder shook his head no. "No, but even if I was, they don't know what flight I'm going to catch. I can always improvise on that," he told her. He then gazed at William. "May I?" he asked. Scully nodded and grinned as she handed William over to Mulder. "Whose being a good boy then?" Mulder asked as William moved his hands energetically in the air, and his little mouth moved as though he was trying to talk. "Hey, I think there's a little smile coming," Mulder said. Scully giggled. "Or it's just wind," she said, correctly. **

**Mulder grinned. "Silent but deadly," he joked. "Just like his old man," he teased, and Scully laughed again. Then she looked at him seriously. "Are you ready to go?" she asked. Mulder looked at her. "Yeah. I've got everything, a flight's been booked, and I'm going to a place somewhere far from prying eyes," he said. Scully nodded and told Mulder to take a seat while she went to get something. **

**She returned a minute later, clutching a bag of her own. Mulder looked up at her, confused, as William tried to grab his nose with his little hands. "You're coming as well?" he asked. Scully shook her head as she sat down next to him. "No, Mulder," she said. "These are just some essentials that I packed for you. I know you don't think you need much, but I thought you may need these just in case," she said. Mulder smiled appreciatively at her. "Thanks, Scully," he said, and handed William over to her as he had started crying, wanting his mother. **

**As Scully got up to feed William, Mulder looked through the bag she had packed for him. It had toiletries, towels, bed covers, and pyjamas. Mulder smiled. Just like Scully to make sure he had these things, he thought.**

**As Scully finished feeding William, she walked back into the living room and placed a tired looking William into his cot, before turning to Mulder. "Well, I guess this is it," she said. Mulder nodded. "Yeah. Got to move on," he said.**

**Scully nodded forlornly with a big sigh. "Yeah. I suppose," she said. There was an awkward silence before Mulder thought of something. "Scully, would it be okay if I used your shower quickly please?" he asked. Scully smiled. "Why? You want me to jump in with you for old times' sake?" she joked with a raised eyebrow. Mulder grinned. "As nice as that sounds, no, I'm not in the mood. But I do need to freshen up before the flight. May I?" he asked. Scully nodded. "Knock yourself out," she said. Mulder grinned. "Thanks," he said, before walking into the bathroom. Scully watched him go, and William started to cry again. So she picked him up from his cot and patted his back gently. "It's okay, it's okay," she whispered softly as Mulder had a shower.**


	3. Chapter 3

Mulder's Goodbye, Chapter 3.

**A little while later, as Scully cradled William in her arms, Mulder finished showering and got changed into a new outfit. He didn't want to wear his suit as he didn't want to draw the slightest bit of attention to himself. While he got changed, Scully had ordered him another taxi under his alias, George E. Hale. She then put William down as she sat next to Mulder on the sofa, possibly for the last time.**

**The two shared a hug as they sat, resting comfortably against each other. "Will you come back for us, Mulder?" Scully asked softly as she rested her head against Mulder's chest. Mulder sighed and caressed her hair. "I will try," he said. He drew her close and added, "Nothing in the world will ever stop me from being with you and our little one," he told her firmly but gently. She smiled and stroked hs cheek before the two shared a kiss. "I think it's time you said goodbye to William," Scully said softly and sadly. Mulder nodded and let her get up to get William.**

**William began to gurgle again as Scully placed him in Mulder's arms. Mulder smiled down at their baby. "Hey, little man," he said softly, and kissed his son on the forehead. "Daddy has to go now for a while, so I need you to be strong and look after Mommy while I'm gone, okay?" he asked. William gurgled again and once again tried to grab Mulder's nose. Mulder and Scully both laughed before William started crying again.**

**"Oh dear," Mulder said, "What does he need now?" he asked Scully. "A feed, I think," she said. "Wait here, I'll just get a bottle," she told them. While she was gone, Mulder looked sadly at his son. "Hopefully I'll come back soon," he said to William as he cried in Mulder's arms. "I just want you to know that I'll always love you, and when I'm not with you, I'll always miss you. I love you and your Mommy so much, William," he told him. "That's why I'm going. To protect you two. Don't ever think I don't care, because I do. I love you and Mommy more than life itself," he said. Behind him, Scully held a bottle of milk and she smiled sadly at Mulder's gentle words. She knew she meant every word.**

**After Mulder finished speaking, Scully returned and passed Mulder the bottle. "Here," she said, and William instantly stopped crying the moment Mulder fed him. "You're an amazing mother, Scully," Mulder told her with a smile. Scully grinned. "Yeah. I know you're only going so you'll be left out from nappy duty," she said. Mulder looked at her seriously. "I'm going to miss that," he said. "And all the times he will grow, bit by bit," he said. Scully smiled and placed a comforting hand on Mulder's shoulder. **

**"I know," Scully said softly. Just then the doorbell rang. "That'll be your cab," she said, and Mulder gave William back to her after kissing him on the forehead tenderly. "Goodbye, William," he said, voice cracking. After Scully lay William back down in his cot, she embraced Mulder and the two kissed each other passionately.**

**Then the doorbell rang again, so Scully answered the door. "Cab for George. E. Hale," the Cabbie said, in a rather bored tone. "He's here," Scully said, and the cabbie helped Mulder with his luggage. "Take care and be careful," Scully told Mulder as he kissed her one more time. "You too," he said. "Say bye to Reyes and Doggett for me," he said. With that, Scully watched him as he got into the taxi. He gazed at her through the cab's window as the taxi started up and drove Mulder away from his home. "Where to?" the cabbie asked. "To the airport," Mulder said. "One way," he added. **

**Back in Scully's apartment, William started to cry again. As Scully patted his back so William could release wind, William continued to cry. Maybe he knew something was wrong, Scully thought. She lay William back down again and he cried until he fell asleep. With a sad sigh, Scully grabbed her blanket from her bedroom and carried it into the living room. **

**There she lay on the sofa, with the blanket wrapped around her, sleeping soundly as the rain poured around the house in the night. Scully fell into a dreamless sleep. **


End file.
